Injured in an Accident? What You Should Do Following an Accident

The driver just didn’t see you. Maybe you were in his blind spot, or maybe he was glancing down at a text message. At any rate, his big rig crunched your brand new SUV into something resembling wadded-up aluminum foil. It’s a typical semi truck accident – like so many that happen every day. 

You aren’t injured. At least you don’t think you are, so when the first responders show up, you mention that you’re fine . . . other than a sore spot on your collarbone, where your seatbelt abruptly cinched, and a slight headache. They ask if you want to go to the hospital and you say “no.” A few minutes later, they ask again.

Don’t Be A Pseudo-Hero. Get Even Minor Injuries Checked Out

First responders are trained to ask medical questions repeatedly, even if they get the same answers. They know that some injuries don’t show themselves until much later, and the consequences of postponing medical intervention can compound problems and hinder treatment.

Any pain, any injury or any sore place that wasn’t sore prior to the accident needs to be checked out by a medical professional immediately. A good example of an injury that doesn’t reveal itself until later is a bruise. A bruise is the result of broken blood vessels under the skin, and often, the full extent of a bruise isn’t known for up to 24 hours. Internal bleeding in organs is a very serious, possibly fatal condition in which the victim was unaware of symptoms in the chaos after a crash. 

Seat Belts and Airbags Are Great, But They Can’t Do it All

People tend to think that with seat belts and airbags, the body is safe from impact injuries because it doesn’t slam into the dashboard or get ejected from the vehicle. But unquestionably, there are impact injuries. They occur inside the body, when organs slam into each other, into the rib cage and inner skull.

Injuries to internal organs often do not present with pain, or display any symptoms that can be seen or felt externally. Blood can leak from torn tissue and pool in various pockets within the body, and you wouldn’t even know it unless you were examined by a medical professional.

Legal Reasons for Seeking Immediate Medical Attention

The strength of any insurance claim or litigation regarding injuries depends in large part on the reliability of the medical information obtained. The sooner you seek medical treatment following a truck accident, the more reliable the information will be, and the more likely that you will be compensated.

If there is a lengthy time lag between the accident and your doctor’s appointment, it becomes more difficult to associate the symptoms with the accident, and increases the likelihood that your insurance claim would be denied, or would fail in court. It would be difficult to convince a judge or jury to believe that the accident caused your injuries if you waited a month or longer to even see a doctor about it.

Contact Patrick Daniel Law

For expert advice and representation of your injury claim, contact Patrick Daniel Law at 713-999-6666, send a text to 713-903-7588 or visit patrickdaniellaw.com and live chat with a representative.

Source:
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/what-if-my-accident-injuries-dont-show-up-right-away.html

https://www.webmd.com/first-aid/internal-bleeding-causes-signs#1

https://www.arrowheadclinic.com/category/blog/should-i-still-go-see-a-doctor-after-a-minor-car-accident